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This is the right policy, and it shows that there is no contradiction between being pro-immigration reform and taking tough steps on enforcement including tightening the border. Tea Party and Minutemen protesters should take note: a record 387,790 illegal immigrants were removed from the United States in 2009.

But beefing up enforcement isn’t enough, and President Obama has made clear that we need reform to deal with people who are already here. In short, we need a practical solution that is fair to taxpayers, restores the rule of law, and provides a path to citizenship for those who earn it.

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